The Man Who Can't Be Moved
by xoc13
Summary: When Julie has her own love triangle to struggle with, Stephanie is reminded of how she made a decision between the two men in her life. Babe story.
1. Chapter 1

**So I wrote some oneshots of S&R married and with a son (Feliz Navidad and chapters 10, 11, & 13 of Babe Adventures- these don't have to be read before this one, except maybe ch 11 of Babe Adventures). I know I've got other stories out (and I'm working on updates), but I just couldn't shake off this idea. **

**Here's the deal: Julie is in her twenties and working at Rangeman. She's got a good relationship with S&R. All's going well for her until she finds herself in a love triangle of sorts. This is a Babe story and while Julie struggles to define her feelings, Stephanie revisits her past and how she finally made a decision between the two men in her life. **

**The title is from the song with the same name by The Script.**

**I'd like to know your thoughts:D**

**Disclaimer: The Plum universe belongs to JE. **

The car rolled to a stop in our driveway after a long night out. Ranger cut the lights and we walked up the small path leading to the house in comfortable silence.

When Ranger closed and locked the front door I leaned against him to kick off my heels. "I'm going to go check on Eddie." I know he always likes to do a thorough sweep of the house before we call it a day and go to bed, so I gave him his space.

I moved up the stairs silently, not wanting to wake up my little boy. I walked past Eddie's bedroom since I knew he would be with his sister. Julie is great with Eddie. In their case the age gap works wonders for their relationship.

I poked my head in her bedroom and spotted Julie wide awake, laptop in front of her. I gave her a finger wave as I slipped inside. "How was he?"

"No trouble at all." Julie assured with a smile.

"Working this late?" I asked as I walked over to the bed, bending at the waist to give my son a kiss on the forehead. He's all smiles and energy during the day, rarely slowing down.

"Nah. Just chatting with an old friend." By the wicked smile on her face it must be a _guy_ friend.

"You spending the night?" I scooped up my sleeping tornado, carefully cradling him to avoid sleepy fussing. Julie's always had a room in this house, but when she started working at Rangeman as our tech genius she decided to live there instead. She now calls the apartment on seven her place.

"Yeah." Julie looked at the time and after quickly typing something closed her laptop and stood. "Goodnight." She told me as we shared a quick hug.

"I'll let your father know." I took my precious cargo back to his bed before I myself got ready to call it a day.

I was standing in front of the vanity in our bedroom, removing jewelry when I sensed his presence. "Julie's spending the night." I informed over my shoulder. Ranger nodded in response.

"You were stunning tonight." The words were murmured at my ear while his arms wrapped around my middle. I met his gaze through the mirror, offering an appreciative smile.

"You're biased." I grinned, twining my fingers with his. Ranger left a trail of kisses down to my shoulder and back, making me lean against him.

"Babe." His seductive grin confirmed my suspicions. The night wasn't quite over yet.

S&R

After the weekend comes Monday, my busiest day of the week for some reason.

The alarm blared at a quarter to six and with a groan I shut it off. It used to be that only Ranger got up at the crack of dawn, but with a little boy that needs to be ready for school before I leave for work, well, I just don't have much of a choice.

I rolled out of bed and jumped into the shower. When I was just about done rinsing Ranger joined me. He still wakes up before I do, goes for a run and then returns to get ready for work. We shared a kiss as I stepped out, because if I stayed we would be late.

I dressed and took care of my hair and make-up while Ranger showered and got dressed.

I trotted downstairs to get breakfast started since Ranger volunteered to get our little one ready. Don't get me wrong. Marriage and family life haven't turned me into a MasterChef or anything. It's more like practice makes perfect.

Okay, fine. But my food is edible. It's all that counts right?

I was just serving plates when I heard the familiar sound of running footsteps upstairs. A moment later a blur of movement dashed into the kitchen.

"Mommy!" My five year old was already dressed, full of energy and ready to tackle the day.

"Good morning." I bent to accept his kiss.

"Daddy helped me get ready." Eddie pointed at his father as they took their places. Father and son shared a fist bump and a conspiratorial smile. Carlos Eduardo looks so much like his father, dark eyes and silky hair, but Ranger claims our little boy is more like me, all smiles and curiosity.

Breakfast was filled with chatter. After, Ranger and Julie headed straight to Rangerman while I drove my son to school.

I parked in front of the same elementary I went to as a child. It's in the Burg and though Ranger had some objections initially concerning security, in the end he conceded. Everyone knows Eddie is half Plum, half Manoso. For some that combination is enough warning. Ranger is known as a badass and although I'm no longer a bounty hunter, the reputation still lingers.

"Mom." Eddie whined when I walked him to the gate. "I'm _big_ now." He gave me a pleading look before dashing towards his little friends. I suppressed a laugh. I'd done the same to my mother when I was growing up, although she didn't take it as gracefully.

I was about two blocks away from Rangeman when my phone started ringing. Some mornings are just too hectic. I answered on speaker with the customary greeting we at Rangeman use. "Yo."

"Morning, Beautiful." Lester gave me a warm greeting, nothing out of the ordinary, but his early call still made me suspicious.

"Spill it, Les." I said, pulling into the underground garage.

A deep, rich laugh was followed by a muffled 'okay, okay'. "Look, I'm not gonna be able to be in today." There was another muffled murmur. "I sorta missed my flight." He said he tried getting a hold of Tank and Ranger, but both have meetings all day.

"Right." He went on vacation last week and was supposed to be back today, but judging by all the secretive murmurs that's not going to happen.

By the time I got to my office I had already assigned Vince to take Lester's shift. It was a no brainer since Vince is getting married in a few months and has made it clear he's willing to take any extra shifts.

I'd just sat behind my desk when my phone rang again. Yup, it would be _that_ kind of day. Rangeman has expanded. Ranger and the core team have a higher demand and I now have the job of office manager to help make things run smoothly. I like my job, but some days it can be a bit overwhelming.

My whole morning was spent on the phone with existing clients setting up appointments for their annual system upgrade and setting up pre-installation visits for potential new clients.

At noon I was getting ready to leave for lunch at my parents' when my desk phone rang again. I froze at the door, debating for a split second if I should just let it go to voicemail. With an annoyed groan I walked back to answer the call.

"Y-Hello, this is Stephanie speaking." I caught myself before I greeted with 'Yo'. I've been on the phone with clients all morning, so I thought a more welcoming greeting was called for. I listened for a beat before Ram came on the line, saying there was a man in the lobby looking for Julie.

"She's out with Justin doing upgrades. Should I tell this guy to come back?" Ram said the man looking for Julie introduced himself as Jackson Rivers.

The name sounded familiar. I think he's one of Julie's friends from Miami. "Send him to my office." I sent Julie a quick text to see where she was. Almost instantly she said she was a few blocks away. I replied with a '_come to my office when you get here_' just as a young man entered my office.

"Hello." Jackson gave me a bright smile, extending his arm for me to shake his hand.

"Julie is already on her way." I shook his hand and introduced myself.

"Did you tell her I was here, Mrs. Manoso?" He gave me a grin. "It's sort of a surprise."

"I didn't." It was my turn to smile. "And call me Stephanie." No one calls me Mrs. Manoso at Rangeman, so it feels a little weird.

"Yeah, okay." Jackson was tall with an athletic build and based off of first impressions, my gut was telling me he was okay. He's lucky though, because if Ranger was here he would be grilling the boy to death.

"Steph-" Julie stopped shortly after crossing the doorway. Her face lit up when she spotted her visitor. "Jay!" It was an ear splitting shriek that ended in a fit of giggles. "What are you doing here!" She was practically vibrating with excitement.

"I was in town and thought I'd surprise you." Jackson flashed her a grin and wrapped his arms around her.

"We have so much to catch up on." Julie tugged him away, leaving behind a stunned Justin in my office. Justin and Julie are partners, together solving every and any tech difficulty for us. They are part of the new, younger generation at Rangeman.

Justin Canela is a green eyed Latino that I'm sure has a fan club, because he's got the looks and the brain. He's been extremely professional in his time with us and like most of the Merry Men he's really good at hiding his emotions. Until now, that is.

He must have realized he'd let his guard down, because he composed himself quickly. "Is there anything new on the list?"

Justin and Julie think they have everybody fooled, that nobody's noticed what's really going on between them or how they really feel about each other. But perhaps they're the ones that still haven't figured things out yet. Since it's not my place to point out what they're trying to deny to themselves, I gave him the rundown on last minute requests for the afternoon installations.

S&R

A long day at Rangeman and an active afternoon with my energetic little boy left me exhausted. I did my nightly routine before bed hastily, wanting to crawl into bed as soon as possible.

Ranger was in bed waiting for me by the time I exited the bathroom. He likes to sleep shirtless and I never get tired of the way our silky sheets contrast with his muscular abs.

"Babe?" He patted the empty space next to him, prompting me to join him.

"I didn't see you at all today." Even though our offices are joined, we don't always cross each other at Rangeman.

"They say distance makes the heart grow fonder." I rolled into him and erupted in a fit of very uncharacteristic giggles.

"Is that so?" I murmured against his lips.

Ranger nodded, claiming my lips in a toe-curling kiss. I melted against him when our kiss ended. "Want me to prove it to you?" He rolled us to be on top, ready to demonstrate a thing or two.


	2. Mr Right

**Thanks for giving the story a chance:) As a thank you, here's a long chapter:D**

**Some of you were quick to catch the potential love jumble between the three J's. But all the players haven't been revealed yet…**

**Disclaimer: The Plum universe belongs to JE.**

The offending sound of a phone ringing penetrated my sleep. With a groan, I buried my head under the pillow in an attempt to enjoy a few more glorious moments of sleep. A heavy arm snaked around me and suddenly the ringing stopped.

"Yo?" Ranger's voice was groggy from sleep, but I'm sure he was already alert. I scooted closer to him, waiting to see what was so important to merit a call in the wee hours of the night. When I felt Ranger tense, it was my turn to become alert. "Keep me posted."

"What was that all about?" I asked Ranger when he ended the call and returned to the phone to its cradle.

"There's some sort of emergency with Rachel. Julie wasn't given much detail. She's on her way to catch a plane."

"Wow." I really hoped everything's okay. When Julie decided to join the Rangeman team here in Trenton, Rachel wasn't too happy. I have it from good authority that their relationship was a little shaky after that. It wasn't until a few months ago that their relationship improved.

S&R

The next few days were beyond hectic at Rangeman. With Julie away, I had to partner Wendell Jankow, Merry Man in training, with Justin. Fortunately, the guys found a good momentum and got the job done. With that taken care of, I spent a good chunk of my workweek alternating between paperwork and meeting with clients. Thankfully, it was finally Friday and with that came a slower weekend schedule.

There was a knock on my open door. When I lifted my gaze I found Justin standing in front of me.

"You wanted to see me?" He held up the note I left in his cubicle while he was out working on system updates.

"Yeah, come on in." I motioned for him to take the seat across from my desk.

"There must be some sort of glitch, because I'm not in tomorrow's rotation."

"That's why I called you. There is no error. I'm giving you the weekend off." He deserved it.

"Oh, man." Justin flashed me a boyish grin. I sometimes forget that some of these guys are not much older than Julie.

Justin gave me an extensive 'thanks' before getting up to leave. Just when I thought I would be left alone Ranger came in.

"Babe." He gave me a slightly raised eyebrow.

"I gave him the weekend off." I said by way of explanation. Ranger nodded in understanding as he rounded my desk. I accepted his kiss, looping an arm around his waist for support.

"I came to take you to lunch." Ranger offered me his hand. I took it, allowing him to bring me to my feet.

"Food sounds fantastic right about now." The way things have been the past week I've had turkey sandwiches from the break room to save me some time. "I'm tired of sandwiches."

"Babe." Ranger's chuckle was contagious. We left my office hand in hand, laughing softly.

"Have you heard from Julie today?" I asked as we got into the Turbo. It turned out the emergency had to do with Rachel being the victim of a hit and run, but thankfully most of her injuries were superficial.

"Rachel's doing fine and everything is getting back to normal." He said he told Julie not to worry about Rangeman, that we had it covered. "She's flying in on Monday." Ranger gave me a shrug, saying Julie refused to take any more days off.

"I'm glad things are better." I love Julie and the last thing I want is for her to be hurt.

Ranger took me to the same diner where we first met. Where it all began. We had a good meal and chat.

Ranger paid the bill and as we left he made a proposition. "I have a very generous lunch break." The wink he gave me was enough indication for me to know what he had in mind.

"I know a place." We enjoy a very active sex life, but middle of the day sex isn't a very common occurrence. Especially during the workweek.

S&R

The next day there was an early morning pre-installation walk through at a chemical facility off of Route 1. I took Wendell and Lester with me so Wendell could continue with his training and Lester, because he owed me.

Dr. Kimberly Hollenbeck greeted us at the door and showed us around the facility. It was a two-story block of a building with underground parking. For a place housing some very hazardous chemicals, they needed more security.

"What are your concerns?" I asked when we reached the back of the building.

"Stock solutions are going missing." Dr. H told me that their existing security system hasn't detected any disturbances at night. "That's when things disappear." She told us she carefully cataloged everything, keeping a tight inventory.

"Are there any other employees?" Lester was interested in the good doctor, I could tell.

"My intern, Roger." Dr. H called a scrawny guy over, making introductions.

Once we were done inside, the guys and I took a look at the back of the building. It bordered a grassy, unkempt area.

I caught a flicker of movement from the corner of my eye. My instincts prompted me to take another look. I wadded through knee-high grass, bumping into an unpleasant discovery: a bloody body.

"Les!" I yelped his name as I backed away.

"Beautiful!" He was at my side in a heartbeat, immediately standing in front of me to shield me.

"Body." I mumbled, pointing ahead of us. Weapon raised, Lester moved forward. I watched him kneel, his form almost swallowed up by the grass.

"He's alive!" Lester informed as he stood, already calling it in.

"Whoa." Wendell had moved to my side the second Lester had moved away. He was shorter and less stocky compared to most of the guys, putting him a couple inches below my height. This was the first time I've been out in the field in a long time, as well as the first time Wendell and I have worked together meaning I have no clue to what's crossing his mind.

The younger man let out a whistle. "I guess all those stories are true." Wendell shot me a small smile. "Fieldwork is never boring with you."

_Oh boy._

S&R

By the time I got to my office Ranger was already waiting for me. Judging by the look on his face there was no doubt that he already knew what happened.

"Hey." I gave him a two finger wave as I closed and locked my door. His posture said he was in no mood to deal with interruptions.

"Babe." Ranger was in my seat, his muscular frame seeming too big for the chair.

"It wasn't my fault." I rounded my desk so he could see that I was okay.

"Your first time out of the office in a long time…" Ranger started.

"Hey, nothing blew up. No one got shot." Except for the guy behind the chemical building.

"Babe." Ranger shot me a pleading look. "You have any idea what crossed my mind when I heard that place was swarming with cops and paramedics?"

I grimaced, knowing his fears were founded. I've sent so many cars to car heaven that I've lost count. I've been chased, shot at, threatened, kidnaped, almost buried alive that one time and had more enemies than dollars in the bank at one point or another in my life. Sure, all of that was behind me now, but I can understand his worry.

"I'm fine." I moved to stand next to him.

"Stephanie." He shook his head, pulling me onto his lap and wrapping his arms around me. I captured his lips with mine to soothe away any horrible scenario that might have invaded his thoughts.

We kissed until air became a must and we had to pull apart to breathe. The way our bodies were pressed together was a sure indication that he would _reach_ for me more than once during the night.

S&R - _Julie's POV_

I didn't get much sleep in my time in Miami. Mom was okay and thankfully the responsible party was now dealing with the law.

But that wasn't the reason I was finding it hard to conceive sleep. These past few days I realized that I no longer consider Miami my home. In my relatively short time in Trenton, I've adapted to the way of life of Rangeman.

And it wasn't until I boarded my flight back that I realized it wasn't the city I was missing, but a person in particular. That person wasn't my Dad or Steph or Eddie, although I love them very much. No, the person I was missing was someone else. Justin. I was missing Justin, the last person I should have been thinking about. We're colleagues, friends even, and that's probably the way it is always going to be.

"Oh, Julie." I muttered to myself as I searched for Steph. She volunteered to pick me up when we spoke on the phone last night, when I confirmed the time I would be getting in.

It didn't take long for me to find Stephanie. She was wearing her Rangeman uniform, making her stand out as the white woman in black.

"How was the flight?" She asked me as we walked towards her car.

"Calm." I said before filling her in on what had happened in Miami. Steph's been like a mother to me and I'm real lucky to have her. When I used to visit, back when I wasn't eighteen yet, she would get my dad to ease up on his curfew. There are a billion other reasons why we're so close, most of which have to do simply with the way she is. Stephanie is just awesome.

I threw my bag in the back of the SUV as I got in. Stephanie turned the key in the ignition and backed out of the parking space.

"Are you hungry?" She asked me as she merged in traffic.

"Yeah." Lunch at her parents' sounded fantastic. Helen cooks delicious food and Grandma Mazur always makes the meal lively. When I grow up I wanna have the same energy and liveliness that Grandma Mazur has.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that Valerie and Angie would be having lunch with us. When I spent my first summer here visiting Dad and Stephanie for the first time after they were _officially_ a couple, Angie was my first real friend. Now that I work for Rangeman I'm in high demand, and don't always have time to socialize. What that boils down to is that I don't get to see her as often as I'd like.

Lunch revolved around questions about my stay in Miami. Grandma Mazur had a comment or two about wanting to see some naked men at the beach. I used to think that older people didn't think about sex, well, maybe not as frequently as someone much younger, but Grandma's proved me wrong.

"I have rice pudding in the refrigerator." Helen made a move to get up, but Angie and I offered to do it. We left the women chatting in the dining area, so we could do the same on our short walk to the kitchen.

"How's it going?" Angie said it had been a long time since we last had time to chat.

"It really has been a long time." I said we had to get together one of these days to catch up. "I've just been working." We started collecting bowls and spoons to take to the others, being deliberately slow in the process. "You?"

"Not much." She was paying her studies working at the bank after she tried catching skips for the family weasel, or at least that's what Stephanie claims, Vinnie. "Although, I met a guy." She flashed me a grin.

"A guy!" We giggled, knowing she was definitely interested if she was sharing the news. "What? When? How?" Sometimes you just have to live vicariously through your friends.

"I first saw him at the bank and then at the Snake Pit." Angie was quick to clarify that the Snake Pit was new and improved, a place designed for dancing and nothing to do with its old ways.

"Shut up!" I grinned, taking in the details. It seems she really hit it off with Mr. Hot and Handsome. "Are you seeing him again? Please, tell me that after a wonderful night of dancing you're not letting this guy get away?"

"We scheduled a da- _outing_ later this week."

"You were going to say _date_!" Angie blushed.

"You probably know him." Angie grabbed the rice pudding so we could finally walk back to the dining table. "He works for Rangeman."

"Really?" I tried to picture who Mr. 'Maybe' Right was, but had no clue. "What's his name?"

"Justin Canela."

I felt the air in my lungs rush out as if I'd just been punched in the gut.


	3. Surprise

**Thanks for the huge response to this story:D Here's an extra-long update.**

**Since Julie's POV was taken well, I'll keep using it to help the story move along. **

**I'm thinking about bumping this story up to M just because it allows for more freedom;) Thoughts?**

**Disclaimer: The Plum universe belongs to JE.**

_Julie's _POV

My mouth felt dry and I realized I must have been staring, gawking even, because Angie asked me if I was alright. I gave her a short nod as I tried to find words again.

"But you do know him, right?"

"Y-yeah." I took in a deep breath, controlling my emotions. "He's my partner."

Thankfully, the laugh of the ladies in the other room interrupted the moment. Angie gave me a wink as we joined the others, a silent way of saying '_I'll let you know how it goes'_.

I was in a trance the rest of the meal, hardly touching my pudding. It shouldn't have surprised me really. Justin is a very handsome guy and just because I've never known him to have dates, doesn't mean he hasn't had any.

Grandma Mazur said something I didn't catch and it made Angie grin behind a spoonful of pudding. My friend's face lit up, enhancing her pretty face.

_You're jealous. _A little voice in my head pointed out. I shook my head, telling myself that I wasn't jealous. Angie is my friend and her association with Justin shouldn't bother me. He's just my partner after all.

And just as I was trying to focus on the lively conversation taking place, I was transported back to a point in time when I walked in on Justin while he was in the shower. We had a somewhat shaky start in our partnership. I'd felt like I had something to prove and it was part of the reason I ended up seeing him naked. Sculpted chest and abs along with strong arms and thighs made me zero in on one particular _piece_ of his anatomy…

"Julie?" Stephanie touched my arm, asking if I was alright.

"Yeah." I cleared my throat, getting rid of the image of _naked_ Justin from my mind. "Guess I'm just tired." I forced out a smile, hoping I looked convincing.

"I better get going." Angie stood, offering us an apologetic smile.

And just like that I admitted the truth to myself. I was definitely_ jealous_.

We said our goodbyes too and Stephanie got us on the road.

"I want to make a quick stop before we head over to Rangeman." Stephanie told me about a blood-covered man she stumbled upon during a walkthrough over the weekend.

"What happened?" I decided that getting my mind occupied on something, anything, else would serve me good.

Stephanie shrugged, signaling her turn to take us to St. Francis. "I have no idea, but I have a feeling that he has something to do with the break-ins to the chemical facility." Stephanie said that because the place was shut down over the weekend for investigation, Rangeman hadn't gotten around to installing a security bundle yet.

I nodded at her words, knowing from experience that her gut instincts are usually correct. "What's the plan?" I asked as she parked in the hospital's lot. Steph said we were just going to see how Mr. Bloody was doing.

Steph knew the nurse in turn, facilitating the flow of information. After a few minutes the nurse had to excuse herself and we were left in front of the nurses' station, pondering our options. So far, all we knew was that the guy was still unconscious, but stable.

Just as we were getting ready to leave a tall man approached us, his posture shouting '_cop_'. I gave Steph a discrete nudge with my elbow. Recognition grazed her facial features instantly. I sometimes feel like she knows everyone in this town and then it turns out she does.

The man had an athletic looking body, a handsome face despite his age and a playful smile. His hair was peppered with gray and in need of a haircut. I thought he was maybe a little older than my dad and the way he looked at Steph showed he knew her. I watched their nonverbal interaction closely and even before he greeted her, I realized that these two have shared a history together. Scratch that. Their looks said they've shared a _long _history together.

"Looking good, Cupcake."

"Morelli." They shook hands, putting the pleasantries aside for a moment to discuss Mr. Bloody.

Morelli shot a look my way, as if he was trying to judge what he could and could not say in my presence. Steph gave him a nod and it must have been permission enough, because he pulled us aside.

"He's one of us." Morelli said the bloody guy Steph found was a plainclothes in TPD working undercover, trying to bring down a relatively new organization taking over the illegal substance business over on Stark Street. He chose to keep the Mr. Bloody's identity to himself.

"I gave my statement on the scene to Eddie." Stephanie asked why Morelli got himself involved if Detective Gazzara was heading the investigation. "What happened to New York?" Apparently, Morelli was previously working in the Big Apple.

"It's a personal favor." Morelli grinned as he handed us his card before turning around to leave.

_Lt. Joseph Morelli._

As I scanned my eyes over the card, I realized that maybe things were about to get complicated for more than one of us. I've heard rumors about the kind of relationship Steph and Morelli once had, but I've never asked and she's never shared.

Since she eventually married Dad and gave birth to Eddie, it doesn't take a genius to know how that worked out.

S&R- _Stephanie's_ POV

I noticed Julie was quieter than normal and thought that having dinner with her family would help her ease back into her normal self. But even through Eddie's nonstop chatter, she still seemed distant. As soon as dinner was over, Julie said she was tired and wanted nothing more than a date with her bed. She left, refusing dessert for the second time today. Maybe she was telling the truth about being exhausted, but I'm still going to ask her what's going on when I see her in the morning.

I hurried to give Eddie his bath before he fell asleep on me. Once he was clean, I put him to bed. I didn't even get to start on the nightly bedtime story before my little boy was fast asleep. I guess Monday's aren't just hectic for me.

After tucking my little one to sleep, I went downstairs to join Ranger. I found him on the back porch and took a seat next to him on our well used bench, setting the baby monitor at my side.

"He knocked out." I commented as Ranger handed me a beer. I took a glorious sip, savoring the rarity of this moment. Sure, we've spent several nights on this very same porch sharing a conversation and a drink; it's just that we haven't done so lately.

"That comment about the puppy," Ranger eyed me, a small smile creeping out. "You know what that's all about?"

"Nope." I hid my grin as I bent down, placing the beer on the ground.

"Babe." Ranger arched an eyebrow, turning to corner me between his body and the bench.

"Okay." I looped an arm around his neck, bringing him a bit closer. "I was on the phone with Valerie. He heard about the new addition to the Kloughn household."

Ranger nodded, rewarding me with a kiss on the mouth. "So, you're saying he wants one?" I nodded.

"I think it would be great." I gave Ranger an innocent smile. "But I told him he had to ask you first."

"I see." Ranger kissed me again, showing his approval. "How about we surprise him?" I smiled, knowing the surprise was going to make our son extremely happy.

We stayed tangled for a long while, enjoying a relaxing ending to our day. My eyes scanned across our backyard, moving from the swing set to the pool.

"I feel like taking a dip." I commented with a longing sigh. The weather was perfect for a swim tonight. September had started off a bit crazy, but if tonight's any indication, maybe it won't be so bad.

Ranger stood, tugging my hand for me to get up. He cocked his head to the side in invitation.

"Let me get my swim-"I'd forgotten about the beer at my feet, accidentally knocking it over when I stood.

"Babe." I could picture his grin as I picked up the now empty bottle. "Clothing is optional when you're with me." His seductive grin made me warm inside.

"Ah." I sighed when the water hit my skin. I'd stripped down to my bra and panties, deciding to leave a little room for the imagination. What if a tiny someone happened to wake up? Plus, we have neighbors.

I submerged myself completely, instantly feeling when Ranger joined me. We surfaced together, moving towards the deep end.

"You're naked!" I gasped when we reached the edge of the pool and he pressed against me.

"I told you clothing was optional." His hands came to rest on my hips, fingers toying with the waistband of my now soaked panties.

I wrapped my legs around his waist, pressed myself flush to his front and rested my hands on his shoulders as I left it up to him to keep us afloat. "What do you have in mind?" I murmured against his lips.

Ranger captured my lips in a heated kiss that had me rubbing against him. "Your eyes are so blue right now." His hands moved to my bottom, skimming under the elastic to touch my skin. The only lighting came from the pool and the back porch. With every move, the water lapped against our bodies. His face was mostly obscured in shadow because of our position and it gave him an air of mystery. It was erotic, electrifying even.

When I felt him lowering my panties, I erupted in a fit of giggles.

"What's so funny?" Ranger asked, leaving a trail of kiss down my throat.

"This reminds of me of the time you were my Spanish teacher." I moaned, throwing my head back when his fingers skimmed the inside of my thighs. "That was such a disaster." With a groan of approval, I untangled my legs from his body so he could get my panties completely out of the way.

"That's not how I remember it." Ranger moved us to a corner of the pool, tossing my discarded panties on the edge.

I skimmed a hand down his muscular front, stopping when I reached my destination. I wrapped my hand around his hardness, giving him an exploratory stroke. "I always ended up naked within the first five minutes." I reminded as I once again wrapped my legs around him.

"I couldn't help myself." Ranger's predatory grin had me instinctively tightening my grip. Ranger groaned, pumping into my fist. The way we were pressed made our bodies brush together, bringing the heat up another notch. "You're so sexy when you roll your Rs." He captured my lips, tongue invading my mouth to tangle with mine.

"Si?" My voice was breathy and not just from our kiss. His fingers had inched their way to my doodah, setting the perfect rhythm. "Ca_rrrrrr_los." I laughed; satisfied with the effect I have on him.

S&R

I awoke to the sound of the alarm. I turned it off, taking a few more glorious moments to savor the feel of the comfortable bed. A small smile crept out as I remembered how our night went, ending things in the laundry room.

The memory was interrupted when I heard the bathroom door slide open. I turned, finding Ranger fully dressed. He was in business mode today, black suit and silky tie.

"What time will you be getting back?" He had business to take care of in the Boston office. Since we've been married he tries to spend only the strictly necessary time away.

"Tonight." Ranger said he'd most likely be back late. "Don't wait up." He approached the bed, bending at the waist to land a soft kiss on my bare shoulder. Ranger straightened, his form illuminated by the bathroom light. "If you're going to be spending time out of the office, take your gun." His tone was serious.

Most husbands probably don't say that to their wives early in the morning. "What's the word on the street?" Apparently, the bloody guy I stumbled on was turning out to be quite a big deal. Something was definitely fishy.

"Gazzara says things are getting ugly."

"I bumped into Morelli at St. Francis yesterday." I sat up, coming to be at eye level with his belt buckle. "It seems there's a lot of involvement on the case already." I gave his abdomen a loving pat so he could rest assured that I would be having nothing to do with that line of investigation.

"Babe." Ranger let out a sigh, kissed me on the forehead and left.

I showered, changed into jeans and girly tee before doing my hair. I opted for minimal makeup, stuffed my feet in my sneakers before going to check up on my son.

S&R

"Bye." I dropped Eddie off at school, waiting until I saw him join his classmates and teacher. He sent me a wave, a silent assurance that he was alright and that I could move along.

I checked the time and since I still had a good hour before I had to be at Rangeman, I decided to stop at the bonds office to catch up on some girl talk. Connie is still the office manager, though she's part owner now. I don't always get to have morning coffee with her anymore, but I try to stop by when I have time.

I arrived at the office with a box of mixed donuts from Tasty Pastry. Connie greeted me with a cup of coffee.

"Lula's on her way." Connie motioned for me to take a seat, asking how things have been.

"It's been a little hectic lately." She'd already heard about the bloody guy. Since I didn't have much to add to it, I took a sip of my coffee.

"Hey, girlfriends!" Lula busted in wearing bright yellow sneakers, black spandex shorts that were just this side of too tight and a red tank. She works for a Nonprofit organization now. Last I heard they were trying to beautify Trenton, trying to improve the environment by bringing awareness to the public about our pollution levels. I'm not sure what her outfit has to do with any of that.

"Hey." I cocked my head towards the doughnuts. Lula's eyes bugged out as she placed two buckets of boneless fried chicken from Cluck in a Bucket in front of me.

"No." Connie groaned, watching helplessly as the greasy buckets made contact with her wooden desk.

My amusement at Connie's scrunched up face quickly faded as a wave of nausea overtook me as soon as the smell of the greasy chicken invaded my personal space.

"I…uh…" I thought I was going to be sick. I lunged for the wastebasket next to Connie's desk and emptied my guts.

"Uh, girlfriend." Lula giggled. "You preggers again?"

"What?" I choked out, wiping my mouth with a paper napkin.

"Here." Connie passed me a water bottle as I got up to take it to the bathroom. "Maybe Lula's up to something."

"When you was pregnant with your cute little boy, you couldn't stand the smell of nachos from the 7 Eleven." Lula reminded.

"That's true." Connie nodded, getting up to dump the contents of her wastebasket out back.

"I…no." I shook my head, waving the possibility aside.

While I cleaned up in the bathroom, I got to thinking that maybe the girls were right. Ranger and I were extra enthusiastic during our summer vacation, especially on his birthday.

And now that I think about it…

_Oh boy._


	4. Positivo

**I apologize for the wait, but a couple weeks ago I had a little accident. I was working a Fair event when I tripped and while trying to brace my fall with my hands, I messed up my right thumb. It's very uncomfortable to type with a cast, so writing this took me longer than usual. **

**Anyway, here's the continuation. Hope you enjoy;)**

**Disclaimer: The Plum universe belongs to JE.**

_I popped in the instructional CD and upped the volume on my laptop. Last month I got fed up with a skip that played me by acting like he didn't speak English. That whole incident motivated me to become bilingual and finally got myself a course, albeit cheap, to learn Spanish.___

_I was about thirty minutes into the lesson when it was time to review the previous day's session.___

_Where is the library?___

_Oh, man. I was almost certain I knew the answer, but still felt nervous. "Donde esta la... libreria?" I grimaced, realizing that it didn't sound quite right. Fuck. Learning a new language is hard.___

_Just when I was about to click on the icon that would reveal the correct answer, I stiffened as I noticed the change in the atmosphere. I wasn't alone.___

_I swallowed as I heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps approaching.___

_"As sexy as you sound rolling your Rs, that's incorrect." Ranger spoke in my ear and I almost jumped. He leaned closer, his chest brushing against my shoulders. "It's biblioteca."___

_I shivered, his proximity and intoxicating Bulgari scent made a jolt of pleasure shoot straight to my doodah. "Yes." I nodded, both for his correction and for him to move closer.___

_"Are you making progress?" His lips brushed against the shell of my ear and I suddenly found myself fiercely gripping my laptop.___

_Another nod. "Somewhat." I shut my laptop, finally turning around to face him. He looked as handsome and tempting as ever. "Maybe what I need is someone to practice with." As soon as the words left my lips, I realized that it sounded like an invitation.___

_"I'll help you."___

_"Thanks." The almost smile playing on the corners of his mouth made me gasp with anticipation, his intentions clear as day.___

_In the following weeks Ranger stopped by my apartment almost every night to 'help' me with my Spanish. We never got very far into a lesson before I was naked and enjoying some Ranger magic. I didn't know where we were heading, but I allowed it. Morelli and I were in an off phase, meaning there really was no reason for me to feel guilty about my nightly activities with Ranger.___

_One night I took extra care getting ready, exfoliating thoroughly and moisturizing. I was determined for it to be a great night and maybe get Ranger to share his thoughts about this thing we had going on. _

_I slipped an oversized t-shirt over a lace bra and panty set I bought especially for the occasion. I must have waited over an hour for him and just when I was about to call it a day, I felt his presence.___

_"Hey." I turned away from the TV to face him, finding business Ranger. He looked extremely yummy in his black suit and silky tie. A flash of heat dashed to my doodah and I struggled to keep my hands to myself.___

_"I'm going out of the country."__ Like ripping a bandage, he didn't sugarcoat it. ___

_"Oh." Ranger was going to be in the wind for weeks. I'm sure my disappointment was noticeable. "I guess I can find another Spanish tutor." I shrugged, the movement making the hem of the tee brush higher against my thighs.___

_"Babe." An almost growl left his lips, a sure warning that he would shoot anyone took on the job of being my 'tutor'.___

_"Do you have time for a quick lesson?" I wanted him. Bad. My body was taking over and it was telling my brain to butt off.___

_"I can do quick." Ranger's predatory smile had my hands flying to grab a hold of him. I undid the knot of his tie, shoved his suit jacket out of the way and unbuttoned his shirt with lighting speed. "Babe." A strangled moan left his lips when I cupped him through his pants before I unzipped him, reached inside and stroked his hardness._

_Then next morning I woke up extremely satisfied, but alone. It was then that I realized Ranger and I were going to have to talk about things. _

_I spent the weeks of Ranger's absence tracking down skips and dealing with the craziness that sometimes accompanies my job. So when Lula suggested a stop at 7 Eleven to 'recharge', I was more than happy to go with her. I put the lid on my Big Gulp of Coke, inserted the straw and took a glorious sip. There's nothing better than a cold Coke on a hot summer day. _

"_That's all you gettin'?" Lula asked when I met her at the register. _

"_Yeah." I took a large gulp as I pulled out a crumpled five dollar bill from my jeans pocket. _

"_Hmph." Lula shrugged in an 'Okay, but I'm not sharing' manner. _

_When we got back to Lula's Firebird she struggled with her large Nachos, assorted sweets and drink as she fished her keys from her purse. _

"_Here." I took the keys from her, unlocking the car. _

"_You know what, you drive." Lula tightened her hold on the junk food as she strutted over to the passenger side. _

"_Okay." I got behind the wheel, placed my drink in the cup holder and backed out of the parking space. It didn't take long before the smell of Lula's food wafted over to me, instantly becoming overwhelming. _

"_What's wrong?" Lula mumbled, the crunch of the nacho chips punctuating the question. _

"_I think I'm gonna be sick." I screeched to a halt in a 'no stopping any time' zone and barely managed to power down the window in time to empty my guts. _

"_Are you sick?" Lula wasn't bothered by the episode and continued eating. _

"_I, uh, just felt nauseous." I used my Coke to rinse my mouth._

"_Hmm." _

"_What?" I turned to look at her as I pulled away from the curb. _

"_That's how it starts."_

"_What starts?"_

"_Them pregnancy discomforts."_

If Lula had known then how much sex I'd had with Ranger prior to his departure, I would have never heard the end of it.

And almost six years later I was back in the same situation: possibly pregnant and no Ranger in Trenton.

I grabbed two pregnancy tests from the shelf, just to double check, paid for them and got back on the road.

On my drive to Rangeman I kept glancing at my purse next to me on the passenger seat. I was determined to take the test as soon as I got to the building.

But of course, nothing ever waits at Rangeman. Julie was already waiting for me in my office.

"We finally have access to the chemical facility to install a security system." Julie said the client requested for me to be present since I did the initial walk through.

"Ready?" Justin swung into the office and I knew I wasn't going to have time to find out if I was pregnant. It was going to have to wait until I got home.

"Yeah." I followed the two out of my office, hoping the day flew by.

S&R

I must have been kidding myself when I thought I'd have time to take the test when I got home.

It wasn't until Eddie was fed, had finished his take home assignments, spent his energy in various afternoon activities, bathed and put to bed that I finally had the so desired time AND privacy to find out if I was or wasn't pregnant.

I felt just as nervous as when I found out I was pregnant with Eddie.

The wait felt eternal.

Positive.

My eyes filled with tears, a dozen different emotions invaded me at the knowledge. Excitement, happiness…

I showered and got ready for bed, deciding it was best since I didn't know what time Ranger was going to be back.

A heartfelt sigh escaped me when I finally slipped under the sheets. The day had left me pretty spent, exhaustion took over and I thought taking a quick nap before Ranger got home was a great way to pass the time.


	5. Pregnant

**Thanks for the continued support to this story. It means a lot;)**

**I struggled with this chapter, until I decided to use a different POV. I hope you enjoy it;D **

**By the way, I've bumped this story up to M because I felt it gave more freedom.**

**Disclaimer: The Plum universe belongs to JE.**

_Ranger's POV_

I slowed for a red light and sighed. It had been a long day, but just the thought of going home put a smile on my face. I knew Babe would be waiting for me in bed, wearing an oversized T-shirt as sleepwear. I shifted in my seat. Just the thought of her soft body pressed against mine caused my body to react.

The light changed and the movement of the car awoke my companion. I grinned at the small puppy riding on the seat next to me and thought about how much my little guy was going to enjoy the Golden Retriever. As soon as I laid eyes on the dog, I knew he would be perfect for us. I wanted to surprise Eddie and even though it was a little past midnight, Ella assured me I could stop by to drop off the puppy. I needed to fill Stephanie in so we could plan how to introduce our little boy and the new addition to the family.

Just as I swung into the underground garage at Rangeman I spotted a familiar someone jogging past a row of SUVs. I honked, zipping past my daughter to park on my designated spot next to the elevator.

"Hey." I heard her call slightly out of breath when I opened the door to get out.

"Isn't it a little late to be out?" I frowned at her unusual choice.

"I couldn't sleep." She waved a hand, attempting to distract me. Behind me an impatient bark echoed. "Whatcha got there?"

I narrowed my eyes. She really wanted to avoid a serious conversation. I turned around to pick up the puppy, deciding it was best to give her some space. I made a mental note to ask Stephanie if she knew anything. "Eddie wants a dog." I turned, cradling the puppy.

"Aww!" Julie gushed over the small animal. "Why did you bring him here?" I told her I wanted to fill Stephanie in before Eddie knew. "I can keep him for the night." She took the puppy from me, redirecting her full attention to the animal.

"Sure?"

"Yeah." Julie nodded, saying she would tell Ella in the morning to keep an eye on him.

I followed Julie up to seven to deposit the accessories and food in the living room. "Get some sleep." I'm perfectly aware of the fact that my daughter is legally an adult, but I can't help it. For so long I had to conform with visiting her when I was invited that now that I see her every day I feel the need to get involved.

"I'll try." She hugged the puppy a little tighter. "This little one's gonna be my night buddy."

"Goodnight." We shared a hug and kiss on the cheek before I left.

My next and final stop was at home.

The house was dark and silent when I entered. After doing a quick sweep of the house to make sure everything was locked and secure, I moved upstairs.

I swung by Eddie's room to give him the goodnight kiss I couldn't give him when he went to bed earlier. He was sleeping peacefully, so I left quietly to not disturb him.

A heartfelt sigh escaped my lips when I finally entered the master bedroom and spotted my wife's sleeping form on the bed. I was tempted to just strip out of my clothing and climb under the sheets with her, but it had been a long day and I was in desperate need of a shower.

I groaned when the hot water cascaded around me, but didn't allow myself too much time to enjoy it. I was exhausted, so after a good cleansing I was going straight to bed. I shampooed, lathered, rinsed and dried in record time.

Naked, I finally slipped in next to my Babe.

"Ranger…" She murmured groggily, automatically rolling into me.

"Babe." I kissed her forehead and wrapped my arms around her. She was fast asleep. I was exhausted, so I allowed her scent and warmth to take me to dreamland.

S&R

The blare of the alarm awoke me. Effortlessly, I reached for the clock to silence the offending sound. I usually get up to go for a run, but today the bed felt extra comfy. I snuggled closer with Babe, passing a hand across her back to soothe her.

"Five more minutes." She mumbled, burying her face in that sweet spot where shoulder meets neck.

"Babe." I murmured against her ear. She stirred and the movement pressed my morning erection against her inner thigh. I groaned.

"Mmm…you always want." Her lips brushed against my skin, sending an electrifying rush of desire down my spine.

Her sleepy murmurs told me she wasn't fully awake yet, but I could change that. "Stephanie." I moaned her name when I slipped a hand under the hem of the oversized T-shirt she'd worn to bed and realized she was naked.

"Carlos…" It was her turn to moan when I skimmed my fingers along her entrance. "Ranger…"

"Yeah?" I rolled us to be on top, easily getting rid of the only article of clothing between us. Her eyes fluttered open, a deep shade of blue that always drives me wild. "How?" I kissed her lips, her throat, breasts and any sliver of flesh I could reach.

Another moan tumbled past her lips as I used my fingers to test her readiness. "You know how." Her breathy response fueled my arousal, sending another jolt of desire straight to my cock.

I slid inside, claiming her lips as I set a comfortable rhythm for the both of us.

The sound of moans, groans and sighs mingled together mimicking the way our bodies tangled together.

"Mmmhhm…" Her needy moan was accompanied by the scrape of her nails across my lower back. It was her telltale sign. She was close.

"Yeah." I picked up the pace, slightly changing the angle in the process. "So beautiful." I murmured, skimming my lips across her bouncing breasts.

"Yesyesyesyes..." Her chant morphed into moans as the orgasm hit her. She wrapped herself around me and the rippling waves of her relief pushed me over the edge. I came, the pleasure engulfing us in a cocoon of heat.

"Mmmm…" Babe purred after, splaying herself over me. "That was a nice wakeup call." Her lips scattered wet kisses across my pecs. "I might have been a bit loud." She cringed.

"Babe, I think the neighbors heard." My tease got me a swat on the shoulder. "Hey, are you complaining?" I palmed her bottom, pressing her naked body against mine. I love the feeling of being pressed skin to skin with her.

"No." She sighed and rested her head on my chest. Suddenly, she stopped speaking.

"Babe?" I trailed my hands up her back, massaging her shoulders.

"We need to talk." The words were muffled.

Just as I was about to inquire, my cell phone rang. Business as usual. When I ended the call I asked her what was going on.

"It's important." She proposed we shared lunch together.

"Okay." I nodded and held her a moment longer before getting up to get ready.

S&R

Morning meetings kept me busy until eleven and even though it was a bit early, I decided to go look for my wife. I had a feeling that whatever Babe wanted to tell me was very important. And I would use our get together to fill her in on the new member of our family.

I walked into her office as she was ending a call. "Hey." She gave me a bright smile as she leaned her head back, eagerly accepting the kiss I had to offer.

"I have something to show you." I gave her my patented almost smile. Her eyes flashed to my groin and then to her door. "Babe." I grinned, clearly reading her naughty thoughts. She blushed and it made my smile grow wider. "Come on." I swept her off her chair and set her on her feet so she could follow me.

When we got on the elevator and I key fobbed us to the seventh floor, Babe gave me a puzzled look.

"You do remember that it's Julie's apartment now, right?" Her teasing made me chuckle.

As soon as I opened the door a happy bark greeted us. Stephanie's eyes widen as she bent to welcome the skittering pup.

"Aw!" She cooed at the animal much in the same way my daughter did earlier.

I squatted next to them. "One of our clients has a pet rescue program." I told Babe that the dog was dropped off when I was on my way out. "It seems they couldn't afford to keep the dog." I reached to pet the pup. "Thought he'd be perfect for our son."

"He's gonna go nuts." Babe's voice broke, choking with emotion.

"Babe?" I pushed her hair aside to be able to look at her face.

"I have news for you too." She stood and I followed the movement. Automatically, my hands landed on her hips. I rubbed my thumbs across her abdomen in encouragement. She knows she can tell me anything. "There's _one_ more addition to the family."

I tightened my grip as her words echoed in my head. And then realization dawned on me. Pregnant.

_I practically jogged out of the airport. As soon as I was outside, I quickly scanned my surroundings in search of my ride. I didn't want to waste any time getting back to Trenton. I was away longer than anticipated and I've really missed Stephanie. _

_When I finally spotted Tank idling nearby, I hurried over to the car. I gave him a nod of acknowledgement as I tossed my duffle bag to the back seat. The delicious smell of food wafted over to me, reminding me of how hungry I was. _

"_Got you the usual." Tank muttered as he handed me a fast food bag. It's true that I take really good care of myself and that I consider my body a temple, but usually after a long mission I really enjoy a hot, greasy meal. I'll never admit it, especially to Babe, but a great Cheeseburger sure does help me ease back into my normal routine. _

_I grinned to myself, chewing with greed. I want, need to see Stephanie. "Take me to Stephanie's building." _

"_Uhm." Tank shot me a sideways glance, wanting to argue._

"_I'm fine." I didn't need any down time. _

"_There's something you should know." Tank was going to insist, I could tell._

"_I'm going to see her whether you drive me or not." I made it clear that I was determined. I'd been shot at and chased during my time away. No one was going to keep me from going to her. _

_Tank was silent the rest of the way, but tension still rolled off him in waves. I ignored him. _

_Tank parked at the edge of the lot and turned to look at me. I raised a hand, stopping him. I didn't need a babysitter. I'm a man. I could handle anything. Tank sighed, but remained silent. _

_I opened my door and angled out, instantly spotting her as she moved towards the building's entrance. Her back was to me and I had to grin at the view. A breeze had kicked in and it pressed the back of her dress to her form, outlining her curves. My body reacted instantly, the sight of her making my palms itch to touch her. _

_I wanted to sneak up to her and wrap my arms around her stunning figure, but I also wanted to see her beautiful face. "Babe." I called out to her, smiling predatorily when she whirled around to face me. _

_But as soon as I caught sight of her in mid-turn, my eyes instantly strayed to her midsection. An enlarged, very pregnant belly adorned her figure. The view left me speechless. _

"Ranger!" Babe's worried face swam into focus, bringing me back to the present. "Are you okay?" She cupped my face in her palms, obviously anxious.

"Babe." I gave her a slight nod and patted her right hand to let her know I was alright. Somehow, in my surprise I ended up sitting on the floor with my back to the wall. Babe was kneeling between my spread knees, still looking worried.

"That's all you have to say?" She was nervous. The bright shade of blue of her eyes told me so.

I missed so much with Julie, only visiting when I was allowed. With Eddie I missed a good chunk of the pregnancy. I honestly never thought I'd get another chance, so I'm really going to cherish this pregnancy with Babe. "A baby." A slow smile spread across my face as I reached for Babe to come closer.

"Si." Stephanie nodded, looping her arms around my neck. In response I only smiled before we shared a slow kiss to celebrate the news.

**It seems that the flashbacks really work to paint that background picture for S&R. **

**And fear not, we'll get to know how Julie's been in the next chapter;)**


	6. Jealousy

**I thank all those who've read/reviewed and apologize for the gap in posting. I was a little stuck on this chapter until I decided to write it in Julie's POV. I just started school again and have these ridiculous three-hour breaks between my classes that I've put to good use, producing this lengthy chap;)**

**While I was working on this chapter I was listening to music and three songs felt just right for this chapter and Julie: Veneno by Jesse & Joy (this one's in Spanish, so if you want a translation send me a PM), You belong with me by Taylor Swift and Mr. Brightside by The Killers. **

**While S&R are celebrating the news of their second baby, Julie's having some trouble defining her feelings for a certain someone…**

**Disclaimer: The Plum universe belongs to JE.**

The new boots Ella got for me were uncomfortable, so after half a workday I was done.

"Give me a sec." I told Justin. "Gonna change shoes." I gave him an apologetic smile and told him I'd meet him in the underground garage. We usually have lunch together before tackling the afternoon appointments. Justin nodded and I reminded it was his turn to choose the place.

When I reached the apartment I was half expecting for the puppy to rush at me as soon as I opened the door. Instead, I was greeted with the scene of my Dad and Stephanie sitting on the floor and in a lip lock that definitely included tongue. Eww!

"I…uh…" I stuttered and pointed away from them. "Just gotta change shoes."

I hurried to my bedroom and swapped the new boots with my old, but comfortable ones. I stuffed the new boots with socks to widen them before leaving the bedroom. Quickly, I made my way to the front door. Thankfully, they were no longer in mid-kiss.

"Gotta go." I mumbled, moving past them.

"Dinner's at six." They explained their plan to surprise my little brother.

"Okay. Sounds good." I nodded, agreeing to take the pup with me to dinner. With a little finger wave, I left.

Justin was waiting for me by the exit. As we left Rangeman, Justin suggested Pino's for lunch. "We have one upgrade and one installation in the area." He said that way we could have more time to enjoy the meal before moving on to the afternoon appointments.

"Sounds like a plan." I shook my head, trying to erase the image of my Dad and Stephanie in mid liplock.

"What's the matter?" Justin glanced at me.

"It's just…" I cringed as I revealed what I witnessed.

"So?" Justin shrugged and slowed for a red light. "Everyone can tell how in love they are." Another shrug. "Seems perfectly normal to me."

"I know it's normal." It was my turn to shrug. "It's just. That's _my Dad and Stephanie_." I shrugged again. "It's just a little freaky, okay?"

"Okay." He said, shooting me a grin. I guess even after me walking in on him while he was in the gym's showers early in our partnership, he still thinks I'm a prude.

We got to Pino's and took the only table open near the back wall.

"The usual?" Justin asked me and when I nodded, he placed our order. The drinks and bread arrived almost instantly so we could keep busy while the food was in the works. We were sipping our drinks, sitting in comfortable silence when I saw his face light up. I followed his line of sight, instantly recognizing the person at the door. "Hey." Justin smiled wide, waving her to our table.

"JC." Angie returned the smile, a slight blush tinting her cheeks. It seemed the nickname was some sort of private joke.

"Hello, Angie." I waved, immediately regretting it the second I realized I'd ruined the moment.

"Hi, Julie." Angie returned my greeting, tearing her eyes from Justin for a brief moment.

"You two know each other?" Justin frowned, looking back and forth between us.

"My mom and Stephanie are sisters." Angie answered his question.

"I had no idea." Justin realized Angie was still standing and immediately stood. "You should join us." He pointed towards the kitchen and the movement made his black t-shirt cling tighter to his biceps. "We just ordered."

Angie gave us an apologetic smile. "I'm picking up lunch for some of my coworkers."

"Oh." Justin looked disappointed. "Well, then I'll see you tonight. Pick you up at seven?"

Her smile widened and it almost seemed like she was auditioning for a toothpaste commercial. "That's perfect." With a bit of awkwardness at first, they leaned close and kissed each other on the cheek.

"Angie!" The waitress waved her over to the register, saying her phone order was ready.

"See you then." Angie barely tore her eyes way from him before saying goodbye to me.

"Bye." I called after her.

"What a coincidence, huh?" Justin commented as our food arrived. "Never would have guessed it."

"Yeah." I busied myself with a slice of pizza. After a moment I asked him if they were dating.

"We're just getting to know each other." Justin said they were still trying to see where things would go.

"Oh." I took a swing of my Coke as I realized that just because I never knew him to have dates didn't mean he's never had any.

S&R

I spent the rest of the workday concentrated on what I got paid to do: _work_. At five-thirty I made it back to Haywood with enough time to take a quick shower and collect Eddie's pooch before making my way to dinner at Dad and Steph's place.

As soon as I parked on the curb in front of the house the front door opened and Eddie waved at me. I smiled and scooped up the puppy as I got out.

"A doggie!" Eddie's eyes widen as he watched me approach. "Is it yours?"

My brother's a smart little boy. He asked the right question, the one that would reveal whose pet it was. "Nope." I shook my head as I transferred the pup to him. Eddie held the dog protectively, his tiny hands struggling to hold on.

Dad was standing behind Eddie and my bro looked up at him. "Is it_ mine_?" The little boy grinned, already detecting the answer. I told you he's smart.

"Yes." Dad nodded, but made it clear the dog would be his responsibility.

"Yeah!" Eddie nodded vigorously, assuring that he would take care of his new friend.

While Dad and Eddie fixed a place for the puppy in the laundry room I headed to the kitchen to see if Stephanie needed any help.

"Everything's ready." She started taking the food to the table, so I helped.

Dinner was filled with Eddie's chatter about all the things he was going to do now that he had a dog. I smiled at everything he said, liking his ideas.

"What are you going to name him?" I asked.

"Hmm…" Eddie touched his right index finger to his chin and thought about it. About a minute later he made a decision. "Buddy."

We all stared at him, surprised by his choice. "Why?" I asked him, curious to know.

"Because he's going to be my friend." Eddie said he now had a companion, a sidekick, for his home adventures.

"He will." I smiled at my brother. I had a dog once, Charro, and had some great times with him. When I looked over at Dad and Stephanie I noticed they were sharing some sort of nonverbal communication with their eyes. It's not odd, because they do it often without even noticing, but I still found it interesting.

Dad and I took care of clean-up while Eddie showed his mom Buddy's headquarters.

"Is something going on?" I told my Dad that it seemed like he and Stephanie were being secretive. "You guys seem more…" I thought about the right word for a second. "…_affectionate_ than usual."

My Dad smiled as he shared the news with me. "We're having a baby." Stephanie walked in to help out will clean up, stopping in mid-step when she noticed the look on my face.

"Wow, Congrats!" I hugged them both, because if there's a couple deserving of happiness, it's them.

"Babe, was I not supposed to say anything?" Dad looked at Stephanie apologetically.

"I thought we were going to do it together?"

"It sorta slipped." Dad obviously can't hide his excitement. My time with him while I was growing up was always scheduled, but after the whole thing with his _wannabe_ I learned to see Dad differently. I might not have had lots of time with him, but we did make the most of it. He's a good dad.

"Oh, Carlos." Stephanie leaned into him so they could share a kiss on the lips. This one was chaste compared to the one I'd witnessed earlier today on seventh.

S&R

I'd just gotten behind the wheel and before I turned the key in the ignition my cell phone chirped. It was a text from Jackson. He was inviting me to have a couple of drinks. I quickly replied, asking him for directions. Almost instantly there was a reply. He said he heard about a place just off of Route 1 by Quaker Bridge Mall and offered to pick me up. I told him to give me the address and as soon as he replied I said I was on my way.

I plugged in my iPod and pressed shuffled. The beat of a familiar song poured out the speakers as I pulled away from the curb. As soon as the lyrics began, I found that they hit a little too close to home.

_Si no eres para mí sal de mis pensamientos…_

"Very true." I nodded in encouragement as the song came to an end. If Justin's not for me, then I need to stop thinking about him in _that_ way. I guess I wasn't ready to admit certain feelings until someone else came into the picture. With a slow exhale, I decided to stop thinking about _him_.

I kept driving and another song started playing. I rolled my eyes when Taylor Swift started singing '_You Belong with Me_'. Annoyed, I switched over to the radio. Satisfied with the monotone drone of the latest traffic news, I continued my drive.

Jackson called me just as I parked in the restaurant-bar's small parking lot. It was a weeknight, but it seemed like the place was already bustling with activity.

"I just parked." I said into the phone.

"Great!" Jackson's cheerful voice responded. "I got a table right by the door."

"Kay." I hung up and went inside.

"Julie!" Jackson spotted me first, grinning widely at me.

"Hey." I gave him a kiss on the cheek and sat down across from him. Jackson waived over the waiter and asked me what I was drinking.

"Beer is fine." I showed my ID to the waiter and he was on his way.

"How are you?" Jackson heard about what happened to my mom back in Miami.

I shrugged. "Okay, I guess." I gave him the short version of what happened. I've known him since Middle School, but I didn't really keep in touch after I moved to Trenton. Distance and my life at Rangeman have kept me occupied. And I guess my social life's suffered because of it. "What about you?" I diverted the conversation to him. "What have you been up to?" The short get together we had before I had to fly to Miami didn't cover much, except that he was job hunting in Trenton. At the time I didn't really wonder why he would come such a ways to look for a job and now that I think about it I find that it's a little odd.

"Well…" Jackson flashed me a charming grin, one that I knew very well.

The waiter brought my beer and when I looked up to thank him, I spotted a familiar couple sitting on a table in the background. Justin and Angie were seated close to the bar. It was obvious they were having fun. There was a tug low in my belly and I felt my jaw clench.

"So, what do you say?" Jackson's flirty chuckle made me return my attention to him.

I blinked at his grinning face, realizing I'd stopped paying attention to him. Taking a swing from my beer I gave him a palms-up gesture, hoping it would make him continue.

"Come on." Another chuckle. "Let's go to The Shore and spend the day together on Sunday." Smiling brightly, he continued. "It'll be like old times." He gestured between us. "You, me and the beach."

"Uh…" It will _never _be like old times, because back when we were classmates I had a huge crush on him. And now… My gaze flickered over to where Justin and Angie were, apparently, having a good time without my permission. I looked away quickly. "You know what?" I flashed Jackson my best _let's do this_ smile and agreed.

We chatted for about an hour until we got the ball rolling for our weekend outing. I'd hardly touched my beer, but I was ready to leave. With an apologetic smile I said goodbye to Jackson with the excuse of having to be up early the next day.

On my drive back to Rangeman, I tried to ignore the uneasy feeling swirling in my belly. Angie is my friend and Justin…we work together. Their…_association_ shouldn't bother me.

"Julie, Julie, Julie." I muttered to myself. "I'm probably tired." And I skipped breakfast. That had to be the reason why my stomach wasn't feeling too well. Before I thought too much about my lame excuse I tuned into a different radio station and turned up the volume, offering myself a distraction from my thoughts.

_Now they're going to bed  
And my stomach is sick  
And it's all in my head_

_But she's touching __his__ chest now  
He takes off her dress now…_

_And I just can't look it's killing me  
And taking control_

_Jealousy…_

"Seriously?" I frowned and killed the volume. "I'm not jealous." I snarled, as if it were the radio station's fault I couldn't pinpoint the source of my feelings.


	7. Only Babe

**Thanks for the great response to the previous chapter. Last chap dealt with Julie's feelings struggle and this one deals with S)**

**Disclaimer: The Plum universe belongs to JE.**

I trotted downstairs for a drink. It was the middle of the night, but since I was already down here I took a moment to check up on Buddy. The pup was curled in its bed looking tiny and sleeping as soundly as his owner. Eddie had practically fallen asleep while getting acquainted with his new companion and we had to pry his small hands from the dog to put him to bed.

With a smile, I moved to the kitchen. An ice cold glass of water was exactly what I needed.

Just when I finished drinking I sensed a presence in the room. With a half spin I turned around to find Ranger standing a few feet away. His dark hair was tousled from sleep, his boxers rode low on his hips and he had a far away look in his eyes.

"Hey." I gave him a small finger wave as I refilled my glass.

"I woke up and you weren't in bed." His voice was a little rough from sleep.

"Woke up thirsty." I cleared the distance between us, because I've only ever seen him this way a handful of times. In the past, even before we became involved intimately, he came to me on more than one occasion claiming he needed me to guard his sleep. At first, I thought he was yanking my chain, until I realized that maybe because of his military experience he could no longer disconnect into a deep sleep. But what I failed to recognize early enough was that he didn't need me to guard him of his enemies in case they tried to get to him in his sleep, but to guard him of his _dreams_. Or better put, to guard him of his nightmares. He'd needed someone to anchor him to reality. "Here." I knew what he needed without him explaining. I can read him better than anyone. Ranger's lips touched the glass and I tilted it a bit so he could drink.

His eyes closed as he drank, savoring the liquid. "Ah." He opened his eyes and this time I could tell reality was starting to sober him up. I left the glass of water on the counter next to us to free my hands. Just as I looped my arms around his neck, his hands landed on my hips. "Babe." I watched him exhale slowly, feeling the way his muscles shifted as the tension left his body. An even slower inhale later his heartbeat began to settle into its normal rhythm.

I peppered his face with tiny kisses while I stroked his nape with the fingers of one hand. Ranger wrapped his arms around my middle, pressing me closer to him. My lips moved to kiss along line of his jaw until I reached his lips. Our kiss was soft, lips gently touching. When we broke apart I grabbed his hand. When he nodded, I led the way back to our bedroom.

I must have dozed off and was jolted awake when there was a shift in the bed. The mattress dipped under the weight of a body. I opened my eyes, barely seeing him in the darkness as he slipped back under the sheets. "Mmm…." I threw both an arm and leg over his side to keep him in place. "Can't sleep?" My words were muffled against his throat, but I knew he heard me.

"No." Ranger's hand landed on the back of my thigh, hitching my leg a tad higher. His fingers drew random shapes on my skin, the touch almost reverent.

"Wanna talk about it?" My hand roamed across his back in a soothing caress.

"There's a knot in my chest." The hand on my thigh moved higher up, slipping into my sleep shorts. "Es como un mal presentimiento."

"A bad feeling?"

"Babe."

Babe can mean almost anything. This time, it meant he was feeling extra protective over me. "I'm right here." My lips trailed to his chest, skimming over his heart.

"Babe." He rolled to his back, bringing me with him to be on top. I straddled him, resting my hands on either side of his shoulders. Leaning forward, I fused my lips to his. "Te amo, Stephanie." He murmured against my lips when our kiss ended.

I cupped his face in my palms. "I love you, Carlos."

S&R

The light in the room bothered me, so with a flip I turned away. I opened my eyes to find sunlight spilling through the drapes. Frowning, I propped myself on one elbow to look at the bedside clock. "Fuck!" It was a quarter to nine. I swung my legs over the side of the bed and hurried to the bathroom. There was a note taped to the door.

_Babe, _

_You were sleeping so soundly that I didn't want to wake you. Got our son ready and drove him to school. Don't worry. Take the day off. You deserve it. _

_R_

I took an extra-long shower, because I could, before I trotted downstairs to eat. My cell phone rang before I reached the fridge. It was my sister.

"Can you meet me for lunch?" Valerie said she needed to talk to me.

"Uhm, I'm actually not at Rangeman today." I said I could meet her in a couple minutes if it was that important.

"Thanks." She said she'd meet me at the new Mexican restaurant on Hamilton.

Connie and Lula have talked wonders about that place. Works for me. "Okay." I disconnected and after making sure that Buddy would be alright in my absence, I left the house.

S&R- _Ranger's_ POV

I spent my morning on desk duty. By eleven I was a little annoyed with paperwork. Babe makes it look easy. With a sigh, I pinched the bridge of my nose as I pushed away from my desk. I'd had enough and decided to take a break. It was a little early, but I decided to go home to have lunch with my wife.

My cell phone rang when I was a few blocks away from my destination. "Yo." I snapped, not in the mood for interruptions.

"Alarms just went off at the Smith residence." Vince cut right to the chase, saying the Smiths were on vacation and that no one's supposed to be there. "Ram and Lester are about 15 minutes away."

I was only a block away. "I'm on it." I disconnected as I hooked a U-turn.

I parked one house away. Quickly, I scanned the front of the house. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, so I slipped to the back with my Glock handy. The backyard was clear. Next, I checked the back windows. There were no signs of activity, so I slipped inside.

Gun raised, I did a sweep of the ground floor. Nothing. When I reached the front door a harsh, masculine groan drifted down from the second floor. Silently, I moved to find the source.

"Oh yeah…" Another groan. "Just like that, baby."

The sounds were coming from the room at the end of the hall. When I walked into the bedroom I found a naked man sitting on the edge of the bed. An equally naked woman was on her knees in front of him, her head bobbing up and down enthusiastically.

"What the hell!" The man locked eyes with my gun.

"Don't move." I warned as he attempted to reach behind him.

"Oh." The woman turned to face me, a sensuous grin tugging at the corners of her mouth. She stood, quickly winking at her partner, before turning towards me. "Yum!" She launched herself at me.

"No." I grabbed her hands with my free hand, effectively keeping her from reaching the zipper. Effortlessly, I kept her at arm's length while I drilled the man with my patented no nonsense glare.

"Da fuck you want?" The man stood, not bothering to reach for clothing. He was frustrated. Can't blame him. I'd be frustrated too if someone ruined my fun. But I can't feel sympathy for him. Get a place and run your own naked parade without interruptions. That simple.

"This house belongs to my client."

"Oh shit." Realization dawned on him. "We're not breaking in." He said he was house sitting for his cousin. "We got busy and I totally forgot about the alarm." He grimaced.

Footsteps sounded behind me and I didn't have to turn around to know backup had arrived, because Lester muttered '_Damn, she's fine'_.

I went back to my car as the guys worked it out with the client. It had been hard to contain a chuckle while the client had to hear via phone about his cousin re-enacting a porno type scene for Rangeman.

That whole incident took about twenty minutes, but thankfully it would only be a short drive to the house.

I was a bit disappointed when I didn't find Babe in the house. Just to make sure, I checked the garage. Since her car wasn't there, I called her phone.

"Babe." I greeted when she answered on the second ring.

"Hi."

"I want to have lunch with you."

"I had breakfast with Val and now I'm at Giovincci's." She asked if I was at Rangeman.

"No, I'm at home." I grinned to myself, admitting I wanted to swing by to have lunch with her.

"Why didn't you call me?"

"I wanted to surprise you."

"Aww." I could picture her smile. She talked to someone before coming back on the line. "Ranger?"

"Still here, Babe."

"I'm just about done here."

"Babe." I disconnected and got to work while I waited for her.

I was just about done whipping lunch for the both of us when my cell phone rang. My cock twitched, thinking Babe was calling to say she was already turning the corner. I don't often get to have my wife for myself during the middle of the day. I checked the readout and groaned with annoyance when I saw Tank's number on the screen. "Yo?" Can't a man get a break so he can be able to have some private time with his wife _without_ being interrupted?

"Stephanie's off the radar." He informed.

"Both trackers?" I swallowed as my heartbeat speed up. Neither of us wanted to voice what we were thinking. I've had this conversation with him many, _many_ times before. An explosion, a fire, kidnapping... I've heard it all, but that doesn't mean I'm used to it.

"Yes." Tank said Wendell and Cal were on their way to Giovincci's.

I disconnected as I raced back to the car.

I had a white knuckled grip on the steering wheel the entire drive. My heart was beating wildly, almost to the point where I briefly wondered if it would beat out of my chest. "Babe." I muttered as I wound my way through streets, heading towards her last known location.

And suddenly, my restlessness last night made sense.

My phone rang as I screeched to a halt in the middle of the street. The place was already swarming with cops and paramedics, blocking traffic in both directions. The air was thick with the remnants of an explosion. "What?" I growled into the phone.

"Cal has visual." Tank told me where I could find her. I hung up, already sprinting towards the center of all the commotion.

The ache in my chest ceased when I spotted her, leaning against the back of the ambulance. A young paramedic was shining a light in her eyes as he asked her something. She shook her head when he was done.

"Babe." I breathed out my nickname for her. My voice made Stephanie turn to face me. There wasn't a single scratch on her that I could see.

"I'm fine." She assured, but I still ran my hands all over her to confirm.

"You're pregnant." I didn't even realize I said it out loud.

"I know." She hugged me back, burying her face against the side of my neck. "I was loading the stuff when my cell fell." That made Babe get back on the curb as she studied her best options to retrieve the device. "A truck came out of nowhere and smashed into my car." She told me chaos ensued and then there was a big fireball in the sky.

"I don't care about the car or the phone." I hooked a finger under her chin, tilting her head so I could kiss her. "I care about _you_." My hold tightened a fraction more.


	8. Time

**I had three exams last week and I've got to write a scientific paper in the next two weeks. Posting will be sporadic at best for now, but I wanted to give you guys a hot S&R dose as well as a little more background to hold you over until the next update. Enjoy;)**

**Disclaimer: The Plum universe belongs to JE.**

The click of the door barely registered as I pushed her up against the now closed front door. I claimed her lips in a demanding kiss. My needy request was met with equal intensity as she kissed back. "Don't scare me like that." I murmured against her lips when we broke apart for air.

Her hands cupped my face. "I'm right here." Her lips brushed against mine with every word. "We're okay." Babe kissed me, a slower but no less passionate one.

I nodded. I'd taken her to St. Francis to get checked out despite the fact that she assured me she was fine. She was right, because the doctor said she was fine.

And that she's about six weeks pregnant. That reminder made my heart beat a little faster and I'd driven back home in complete silence. But now that I had her behind closed doors I felt the need to become one with her physically.

I tightened my hold around her and moved us away from the front door. "Tonight will be soft and slow…" Another kiss. "…because this will be none of that." I promised. Her blue eyes flashed with desire and when I bumped against the couch, she took advantage of the situation to push me. I fell back onto the couch willingly, my legs hanging off the armrest.

Her eyes scanned me briefly, before she took a step to the side to stand next to me. Babe reached for the hem of her long-sleeved T-shirt, removing it in a swift move. I reacted, instantly sitting upright to get rid of my own T-shirt. In the time it took me to place my weapons on the coffee table, Babe was standing in front of me in nothing but cotton panties.

"Babe." I flashed her my most wicked smile, reaching out to pull her close. I sat on the couch and she straddled my lap. My hands landed on her hips, encouraging the grinding rotation she started above me.

"Ranger." It was a needy moan accompanied with the insistent scrape of her nails down my chest.

I cupped her in my palm, feeling her readiness through her soaked panties. My lips found hers again and tongues dueled for dominance. Impatient hands tugged on clothing until we were both completely naked.

She positioned herself over the tip of my hard dick before sinking down to the hilt. Together, we set the perfect rhythm that coiled our desire tight until sweet relief washed over us.

S&R

_I was on my way to the gym when my cell phone rang. When I saw Babe's number flashing across the screen my mood instantly improved. After the initial shock of her pregnancy upon my return and the relief of knowing she was carrying my child, we've fallen into an undefined phase since I got back. I got everything ready to marry her. But when I told Babe, she declined. She said I didn't have to marry her out of _duty or obligation_, that she wouldn't keep me from my child if that's what worried me. I was confused with her attitude, but I respect her wishes. I've tried to be there for her, but I admit I've kept myself along the sidelines waiting for her invitation. So, I was excited that she was finally taking real initiative and _calling me_. _

_"Ba…" My name for her was on the tip of my tongue when I was interrupted. _

_"Ranger?" A male voice asked. _

_I frowned, because although the voice sounded familiar, I couldn't place who it was. "Who is this?"_

_"Oh, sorry…" There was a small chuckle. "It's Eddie Gazzara." _

_I let out the breath I'd been holding, the jealousy I'd felt when I answered the call quickly dissipating. Gazzara's a good cop and I know he's one of Babe's good friends. _

_"Look…" Gazzara continued. "There's a family picnic today and with Stephanie being nine months pregnant I offered to be her ride." He sounded worried. "I got here and she said she was just going to change." There was a pause and it only made me anxious. "She's been in the bathroom for a really _long_ time and when I asked her if she was okay, she told me to call you." _

_I was already sprinting towards the Turbo even before I disconnected. "On my way."_

_An infinite number of traffic laws were broken, but I didn't care because I got to her building in record time. The lot was full, so I parked the car parallel to the building. I hurried towards the lobby entrance and took the stairs two at a time. Eddie was already waiting with the door open. _

_"Saw you through the bedroom window." He said, ushering me inside. "I think it might be time." Gazzara clapped my shoulder, pushing me towards the bathroom. _

_"Time for what?" I growled, annoyed at his vagueness. I didn't bother knocking, effortlessly picking the lock_

_"I didn't see that." I heard him mutter behind me. Ignoring him, I poked my head inside the bathroom. _

_Babe was naked, except for a yellow cotton bra that barely contained her now larger breasts. One hand rested protectively over her pregnant belly and the other was forcefully gripping the edge of the counter next to the sink. I tracked my eyes over her, finally understanding what Eddie meant. It was time!_

_"My water broke." She said, her blue eyes huge with surprise and something else I couldn't quite pinpoint. _

_I nodded, unable to formulate any words, and helped her throw a loose dress over her head. Without asking, I scooped her up in my arms and exited the bathroom. I walked past Gazzara and out the front door. He caught up to us just as I was loading the elevator. _

_"You've got to be kidding me!" I ground my teeth at the sight before me. An old guy had rammed his Cadillac into the side of my car, leaving my means of transportation inaccessible. _

_"Are you okay?" I heard Eddie ask the old man. Grandpa nodded, muttering something about an idiot leaving his car in a non-parking zone. "Have you called the police?" Eddie's question was answered, but I didn't care. I was already looking for another vehicle. _

_"Mine's over here." Gazzara pointed to a blue minivan and remoted the side door open. He yanked away a car seat and tossed it in the back, making room for us. I deposited Babe inside and once I was settled on the seat, her head came to rest on my lap. Eddie got behind the wheel and peeled out of the lot. _

_Babe grunted and yelled on the drive and all I could do was hold her hand. I felt helpless, even more when I realized the car stopped moving. Finally finding my voice, I spoke up. "Why are we stopping?"_

_"I don't know." Gazzara shrugged, opening his door to angle out and take a look. _

_"Babe, we're almost there." I pushed away wild curls from her sweaty forehead, hoping for a soothing motion. _

_"Accident." Eddie came back to report. "Street's blocked." _

_"It's show time!" Babe growled, a sound like something out of a horror movie. _

_Gazzara's eyes widen as he nodded. "Okay." I watched him walk around the front of the van, speaking to someone on the phone. The door on the other side slid open and Gazzara positioned himself between Babe's spread legs. "I've called it in." He tapped on her knees, looking at us with a pale face. "I've been through this before." His voice wavered as he assured Babe he could talk her through it. He demonstrated a breathing sequence. _

_"Shut up!" Babe said through clenched teeth. "You sound like a quacking duck!" _

_I zoned out, no longer hearing sounds but only noise. I focused on Babe's every gesture, every facial expression and there was a moment when I thought I'd lost her. That was when I knew that I wanted to be with her forever because life would be nothing without her. I realized that I didn't want to be there in whatever way she would let me. No, I wanted her to be my life companion. _

_I'm not sure how long I zoned out until a cry penetrated my internal musings. Babe's head rested on my lap, her lovely face looking tired and drained. _

_"It's a boy!" I looked up, finding a smiling Gazzara wrapping a tiny human being with a jacket. _

The ringing of a phone penetrated through my sleep, bringing me back to reality. I felt movement to my side and then an arm reached across my body. I snapped my eyes open when I heard Babe's husky voice.

"Hello?" She propped herself up with one hand on my chest, listening attentively to whoever was on the other end of the line. "Yeah." She nodded and then ended the call. I watched her return the phone to its cradle on the side table next to the couch.

"Who was that?" I asked, snaking an arm around her waist to tuck her against the side of my body.

"Julie." She placed a quick kiss on my chest before attempting to get up. "She picked up Eddie and says they're on their way." Babe climbed over me and started picking up clothing. "What?" She stopped to stare at me, eyes tracking down my body to look at my hardening cock. "No!" She giggled when I lunged for her, darting behind the couch. "We don't have time!"

I grinned at her, catching her by the waist. I kissed her lips softly, savoring the essence that is her. "There's_ always_ time." I kissed her again, because I'm allowed.


End file.
